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MEPs will be able to modify David Cameron's EU deal after his in-or-out referendum has been held, Downing Street admitted yesterday.

Officials insisted the Prime Minister is on course to achieve "legally-binding" changes in the UK's relationship with Brussels later this week.

But they also acknowledged that legislation will have to by passed by the European Parliament's 751 MEPs to ensure the measures come into force.

It could mean key parts of the deal, including the proposed "emergency brake" on welfare payments to EU migrants, being even further watered down if Britain votes to stay in the EU.

Last night critics insisted the Prime Minister's deal was designed to keep Britain tied to Brussels for ever.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: "David Cameron is being utterly duplicitous and dishonest. I've said the whole way through that this renegotiation is a complete con job".

Cameron is asking voters to hand more money and powers to Brussels

Matthew Elliott

Urging people to back the campaign to quit the EU in the referendum, Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign group, said: “The only way to obtain ‘legally binding and irreversible' change to the UK's relationship with the EU is to vote to leave.

"David Cameron is asking voters to sign up to hand more money and powers to Brussels on the back of supposed reforms that will have the legal weight of an unsigned contract."

Brian Monteith, of Leave.EU, said: "The exercise is a con. The question is do we want to leave or remain - not renegotiate a second time."

The problem has arisen because the European Parliament has "co-decision" powers over EU law. That means the MEPs are able to amend or scrap measures agreed by the leaders of the 28-member nations.

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Earlier this month EU President Martin Schulz hinted that the assembly could block the deal

British Prime Ministers through the ages

Wed, May 27, 2015

With a General Election coming up in May, we look back at some of the famous occupants of Number 10 through the ages

Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) was and is a British icon. After a long career in journalism and politics he became Britain's talismanic war leader in 1940, where his stirring rhetoric and leadership would help the nation to overcome the Nazis. Defeated at the 1945 election, he returned to office in 1951. In 2002 he was named The Greatest Briton of all time by the public in a nation-wide survey

The Prime Minister's spokeswoman said: "This is a legally-binding decision international law entered into by heads of state and government of the 28 member states.

"There are a number of measures that subsequently would need to be introduced through secondary EU law where there is a co-decision right."

Many MEPs fear the proposed new EU deal for the UK is a threat to their dream of European unity.

They also believe that some measures, including the brake on welfare benefits, undermine the EU's commitment to freedom of movement for all its citizens.

Earlier this month, European Parliament President Martin Schulz hinted that the assembly could block the deal.

He claimed the British had tested the EU's "patience and good will with their continuous demands".